Northwest shows mixed results in latest income report

King and Snohomish counties are among the higher ranks of household income for 2012, according to new data from the Census Bureau. Even so, they’re below the richest counties, which are clustered around the other Washington. This map shows the stark differences nationwide with lower income prevailing.

King County turned in median household income of $68,944. That compares with $57,474 for Washington and $51,371 nationally. Elsewhere in the metros income was $57,542 in Pierce County and $67,068 in Snohomish County.

Elsewhere in the Northwest, Alaska turned in $66,503; Idaho, $45,296, and Oregon, $49,090. Cities typically did better. Portland’s Multnomah County median household income was $51,580. Boise’s Ada County was $54,337. But Northwest counties saw overall declines in median income from 2007, as has happened in most areas nationwide. Eighty-nine percent of U.S. counties are worse off today in median income.

The national poverty rate in 2012 was 15.9 percent. Washington’s rate was 13.6 percent and 11.9 percent for King County. For Alaska, 10.8 percent; Idaho, 16 percent; and Oregon, 17 percent. Poverty has generally grown in all areas since 2007.

This is all chump change compared with, say, Loudoun County, Va., at $118,934. Five of the top-income counties in the nation are in northern Virginia. Sequester or not, the lobbyists, lawyers, corporate elite and politicians of D.C. are doing very well. If you want to dig deep in the data, go here.